In addition to looking for a job, making repairs to the Little Condo on the Prairie, and reducing Ebenezer’s girth, I have been reading books light and not-so light, thinking, and spending time with friends.
COLD WATER
One book I have particularly enjoyed is A Cup of Cold Water in His Name by Lorie Newman. I love a good service project. Some of you know that, for a time, I served as Service Project Princess (my verbage) for Base Camp, First Pres Boulder’s midweek program for school-age kids. Each week, the children – arranged in three groups by grade – completed a project that benefitted either a ministry within the church or a local non-profit. Not only were my leadership and organizational skills STRETCHED, but the kids and I had so much FUN. Back to the book . . .
Newman, who leads speakers on mission trips to developing countries, opens her book with a brief discussion of Matthew 25:40. She writes, “The verse actually reads ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ I had never noticed the word one until a crisp fall morning when I sat on the screened-in porch. The word one glared at me like a neon light.”
She continues, “As you read and bookmark ideas that you implement in your life, remember that whatever you do in Jesus’ name to just one person in need, even if it is just to give a cup of cold water, you have done it to Christ himself. One really does matter.” The book is divided into five sections: Feeding the Hungry and Thirsty; Inviting in the Stranger; Clothing the Naked; Caring for the Sick; and Ministering to the Prisoner. Newman’s ideas also are labeled with Deep, Deeper, and Deeper Still, which correspond to the level of preparation/commitment the idea requires. Many of the projects can be implemented by individuals or families. Others are better-suited to a small group or the church setting. While Newman is an Evangelical Christian, most of her ideas, though inspired by biblical teaching, can be implemented by anyone in any setting.
FUNERAL POTATOES
Funeral Potatoes refers to the Cream of Something Soup and Hash Brown Potato casserole that cooks of a bygone era made for the family grieving the loss of a loved one. Metaphorically, the term funeral potatoes refers to reaching out to people in a time of need. Some people – I’m one of them – are blessed with a cadre of friends who come alongside them in challenging times. Sadly, this isn’t a universal experience. In this era of Facebook, Twitter and texting, it seems that while people are electronically connected, they are interpersonally isolated. Every day we encounter people who need hugs, cards, a home cooked meal, or a ride to an appointment. In Seminary-speak, this is known as incarnational ministry.
I didn’t intend to get Jesusy, but here goes. In Matthew 14 and elsewhere in the Gospels, we encounter the Story of the Loaves and the Fishes. Jesus takes five loaves and two fish and miraculously multiplies it to feed thousands of people (with leftovers). While the miracle itself is impressive, I also am struck by the fact that Christ did not shoo the hungry crowd away. Take a look at the conversation he has with his disciples in vv. 15-18.
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat. “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said.
Jesus' ministry was notable in that he met both the spiritual and physical needs of those he encountered.
One of my MOST favorite people in the whole world – and someone whose perspective on spiritual things does not totally mirror mine – sends me the BEST care packages when I have surgery. They almost always contain a fleece blanket and something artsy to do. She understands the power of funeral potatoes. In this day and age when many of us are over-stressed and undercapitalized, reaching out to those around us can seem daunting. It doesn’t have to be. I’m merely asking that we be more attentive to the needs of the hurting people we encounter on a daily basis.
BFF
Not long ago, I remarked to a friend, “You need more friends.” She replied, “How do I make more friends?” “Do stuff with people,” was my terse and less than profound reply. I have a journalism degree, a partially-completed MDiv., and would rather not write anything longer than a blog post. Psychologist John Townsend, on the other hand, cranks out a couple books a year and is a leadership consultant. Townsend is perhaps best known for the book, Boundaries: When to Say YES, When to Say NO, To Take Control of Your Life, which he wrote with Henry Cloud.
His latest book is How to Be a Best Friend Forever: Making and Keeping Lifetime Relationships. In it, Townsend puts forth eight principles for building life-long friendships. It's a good, albeit basic, treatment of the subject.
